Community projects awarded over half a million, as National Lottery funding continues

25 Mar 2020 09:58 AM

The National Lottery Community Fund has today announced funding of £594,379 to 71 community projects from across Northern Ireland. For full details of all grants awarded see link below. As we together face the impact of Covid-19, The Fund continues to support local communities by giving projects the flexibility to delay or modify what they plan for this money.

Projects funded include those that are supporting young people that are deaf to gain confidence, adults with learning or physical disabilities to have a better quality of life, general well-being of older people through classes like DIY and developing a community garden. For example:

The Irish FA Foundation plans to use £8,000 grant to produce a short film about suicide and mental health to raise awareness of the issues among young people aged 5-14. The group are also using the funding to bring together disadvantaged young people through a shared interest in football, to run a literacy programme.

Chrysalis Women's Centre, based in Craigavon, is using a £9,390 grant to buy new computers for the centre so the wider community can access IT equipment.

Music to Your Ears, based in Strabane, is using a £9,780 grant to provide musical activities for older men throughout the wider area who are struggling with loneliness and social isolation. Activities include weekly singing, acting, instrument learning and script/song writing rehearsals.

Coleraine Borough 50+ Forum is using a £9,958 grant to purchase ‘Winter Keep Warm’ packs for older people to help them stay warm and well over the winter months. The packs include blankets, scarves, gloves and will be packed by volunteers and distributed.

Click here for the full press release